Lock for switch stands



Oct. 20, 1925. 1 1,558,115

C. PALLONE 1 LOCK FOR SWITCH STANDS Filed Nov. 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 ['armzna Pa/Zi ane 8cm neg Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

CARMINE PALLOINE, 0F GIRARD, OHIO.

LOOK FOR SWITCH STANDS.

Application filed November 19, 1924. Serial No. 750,898.

, T 0 all whom i may concern Be it known that I, GARMINE PALLONE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Girard, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use- .tul Improvements in Looks for Switch Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in railroad switch locking devices and aims to provide a simple, economical and durable form of lock and one in which the key is held from removal from the lock until the lever has been moved to its full extent, thereby preventing any likelihood of the switch being left in an improper position.

In the present invention I have shown my'controlling device adapted for protecting a single line, the arrangement being such that when the switch has been unlocked and the operating lever moved, the key is retained in the lock until the switch has been restored to normal position, but, as will hereinafter more clearly appear, the arrangement may be such that two lines may be protected in like manner.

The invention includes the novel construction. hereinafter described and particularly defined by the appended claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the switch stand, throwing lever and keeper.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the keeper, showing the key retaining means in released position.

Fig. 3 is a section of the keeper showing my improved locking means.

Fig. 1 shows the key operated parts, the cover of the lock being removed.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the eccentric for operating the key retaining means.

6 tion.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing the key held against removal, and

Fig. 8 is a view partly in sect-ion of the parts shown in Fig. 5, as seen from the left.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing, the numeral 1 designates a switch stand of the customary type embodying a base 1 by which it is secured to therailroad ties,and 2 designates the switch lever which has a shaft portion 2 which may be inteis a detail elevation partly in secgral or otherwise, and whiehis journaled in the switch stand, and through the usual motion transmitting mechanism operates the switch throwing rod 3. As these parts are of the ordinary or any desired construction, further description is regarded as unnecessary.

l designates the keeper which comprises a member secured to one of the ties and which is provided with a vertical slot 4: into which the lever enters when the switch has been thrown into proper position in one direction. At the base of the slot is a vertically moving, lock bolt operating, plunger at" which is held elevated when the switch lever is in position in the slot, but which is depressed by the lever, and by its depressing action actuates a laterally moving bolt 1 which projects into the slot above the looking lever and looks itagainst movement when in this position. The locking bolt, when thus projected, is automatically locked against backward movement, or in its projected position, by suitable key released locking mechanism inthe keeper. 7

' In the embodiment shown in the draw ings, which constitutes my preferred construction, the plunger. 4t" bears at its lower end against one end of a rocking lever 10 fulcrumed on a fixed pivot. The opposite end is under pressure oi an overlying coiled spring 11, through the interposition of a contact member in the shape of a threadless bolt 12, the head of which bears against the lever while the coils of the spring encircle the shank of the bolt, the end of the spring bearing against the flange formed by the bolt head.

The spring bears at its upper end against a vertically moving cam member 13, which has an inclined face 13 which coacts with the rear end of the locking bolt 4".

A spring 14 tends to normally retractthe locking bolt.

Vitn the parts in the position shownin Fig. 3, it will be seen that if the switch lever is forced down in the slot or recess 4, it will force the plunger 5t down and rock lever 10 which will compress spring 11. This will force cam piece 13 upward and the cam face or incline will project bolt 4 and retain the lever in the keeper.

This locking means is designed to be. unlocked by a key 5, Fig. '4', having a bit 5, which in the simple embodiment shown, cooperates with a projection 146 on a gear ill) segment 14 which meshes with a rack 13 on the cam piece 18.

lVhen the key is inserted and turned in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. r) the cam piece is forced downward and the locking bolt retracted, thus freeing the switch lever.

The locking bolt =1 has an inclined upper face 0 so that if it should be projected while the switch lever is out of the recess, pressure of the lever will force the lock bar d back to permit entrance of the switch lever in the recess.

To provide means for retaining the key in the lock except when the lever has been restored to the keeper, a lock cover member or plate 6 is provided, adapted to be bolted to the face t the keeper bodv, and having therein a guide-way 6 in which is located a slide member T. The plate or cover member (3 has a tubular extension 6 which receives a plunger member 8 which, at its inner end, is connected to the slide member '7. Preferably the slide member is thread d to engage a cylindrical member guided in the tubular extension to which the member 8 is also connected by screw threads, although any other desired :lorm of connection could be used. To the outer end of the member 8 articulated one end of a link 9, the other end of which is eccentrieally connected with the shaft portion 2 of the lever at the point indicated at 9, the adjustment being such that when the lever is in the horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the point of connection 9 will lie to the left of the axis of the lever, and the slidable key retaining member will be so positioned that its end will just clear the key opening, allowing the key to be entered and removed. hen, however, the key has been turned to release the lever and the lever raised, the movement of the lever will immediately move the key retaining member to the right to project it across the key opening and the key cannot be removed until thelever has been swung back to its initial positlon, at which time the end of the key retaining member will clear the key openmg and allow the removal of the key.

The key retaining bar 7 is provided with a notch T which, in the operation described. is on the under side of the bar. When it is desired to protect both lines it is only necessary to have the left hand keeper 4*, (Fig. 1), similar to the keeper 4, and turn the locking bar 7 upside down so that the notch is uppermost. Then when the switch lever has been swung into the left hand keeper and 1S retained therein by its locking bolt s the recess '4' will align with the key opening. allowing the key to be withdrawn.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l l. The combination with a switch lever.

or a kee er having a lever receiving recess, a plunger carried by said. keeper and projeetable above the bottom of the recess, a locking bolt projeetable across the recess above the lever, means whereby the depression of the plunger by the switch lever projeets said locking lever, key means for moving said parts to unlocked position, and means controlled by the movement of the switch lever for preventing removal of the key except when the parts are in predetermined position.

2. The combination with a switch lever, of a keeper having a lever receiving recess, a plunger guided in said keeper at the bottom of the recess, a rocking lever fulcrumed in said keeper having one end lying beneath the plunger, a locking bolt projectable across the. recess above the switch lever, a cam member vertically guided by said keeper and cooperating with said locking bolt, a spring interposed between the other end of said rocking lever and said cam, and key controlled means for operating said cam piece against the tension of the spring.

3. The combination wlth a switch lever, of a keeper having a lever receiving recess, a plunger guided in said keeper at the bottom of the recess, a rocking lever fulcrumed in said keeper having one end lying beneath the plunger, a locking bolt projectable across the recess above the switch lever, a cam member vertically guided by said keeper and cooperating with said locking bolt, a spring interposed between the other end of said rocking lever and said cam, said cam piece carrying a ack, a gear member journaled in the keeper and meshing with said rack, and key means for rotating said gear mem ber.

4. The combination with a switch lever, of a keeper having a lever receiving recess, a plunger guided in said keeper at the bottom of the recess, a rocking lever fulcruined in said keeper having one end lying beneath the plunger, a locking bolt projectable across the recess above the switch lever, a spring tending to retract said locking bolt, a cam member vertically guided in said keeper and having an inclined face cooperating with said locking bolt, a spring interposed between said cam and the other end of said rocking lever, and key controlled means for moving said cam member.

The combination with a. pivoted switch lever and a keeper cooperating therewith provided with a key actuated locking means, of a slidable key retainingmember associated with said locking means, and means whereby the movement of the lever operates said key retaining member.

6. The combination with a pivoted switch lever and a keeper cooperating therewith provided with a key actuated locking means, of a slidable key-retaining member associated with said locking means, and a link member having one end connected with said retaining member and the other end eccentrically connected with the pivoted portion of the lever.

7. The combination with a pivoted switch lever and a keeper cooperating therewith provided with a key actuated locking means, of a slidable kev retaining member associ- 10 ated with said locking means, and a link member having one end connected with said retaining member and the other end eccentrically connected With the pivoted portion of the lever said key retaining member having a notch in one edge and being reversibly connected to said link member.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

GARMINE PALLONE. 

